Medical Suction Clearing Apparatus

ABSTRACT

A suction cleaning apparatus as described below is a suitably shaped reservoir for enclosing any suitable cleaning fluid such as water or saline solution. Within the reservoir of cleaning fluid are one or more cleaning cylinders. The cleaning cylinders may adopt any suitable length to enclose a single cleaning bristle in the bore of the cleaning cylinder. The upper portion of each cleaning cylinder may have a generally conical or funnel shape, forming guide section to direct the distal end of a suction tube into alignment with the cleaning bristle coaxially aligned with the long axis of the bore of the cleaning cylinder. In use, an obstructed suction tool is inserted into the cleaning fluid and pushed into the cleaning cylinder thereby engaging the bristle. The bristle is sized such that the bristle extends into the obstructed suction tool to mechanically disengage the obstruction.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 12/948,642 filed Nov. 17, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONS

The inventions described below relate to the field of surgical tools andmore specifically to surgical tools for clearing obstructions insurgical suction devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONS

Surgical procedures are complicated, dangerous and expensive. The toolsused by surgeons are selected to provide the greatest utility andefficiency to achieve optimal outcomes for the patient. A basic toolused in virtually every surgical procedure is suction which isimplemented through a slender tube. During surgery, the suction tube maybecome clogged with tissue being removed from the surgical site. Onceclogged, the suction apparatus requires a surgical assistant to clearthe obstruction to enable the surgery to continue. With surgery costsinto the hundreds of dollars per minute, every minute wasted isexpensive and potentially dangerous for the patient.

SUMMARY

A suction cleaning apparatus as described below is a suitably shapedreservoir for enclosing any suitable cleaning fluid such as water orsaline solution. Within the reservoir of cleaning fluid are one or morecleaning cylinders. The cleaning cylinders may adopt any suitable lengthto enclose a single cleaning bristle in the bore of the cleaningcylinder. The upper portion of each cleaning cylinder may have agenerally conical or funnel shape, forming guide section to direct thedistal end of a suction tube into alignment with the cleaning bristlecoaxially aligned with the long axis of the bore of the cleaningcylinder. The enclosed cleaning bristle may adopt any suitablecross-section. In use, an obstructed suction tool is inserted into thecleaning fluid and pushed into the cleaning cylinder thereby engagingthe bristle. The bristle is sized such that the bristle extends into theobstructed suction tool to mechanically disengage the obstruction. Thecleaning channel may include a ridge or stop in the cleaning channel tocreate a fluid path conducting cleaning fluid from the fluid reservoirand the cleaning channel to the tip of the bristle increasing fluid flowinto and obstructed suction tool to expedite clearing the obstruction.

A suction cleaning apparatus as described below is a suitably shapedreservoir for enclosing any suitable cleaning fluid such as water orsaline solution. A generally planar cleaning plate with an upper andlower surface is supported a suitable distance from the cup floor by aplurality of legs forming a fluid plenum between the lower surface ofthe cleaning plate and the cup floor. The upper surface of the cleaningplated has a plurality of bristles extending from the upper surface formechanically cleaning an obstructed suction tool. In use, an obstructedsuction tool is inserted into the cleaning fluid and pushed intoengaging the bristles. The bristles are sized such that one bristleextends into the obstructed suction tool to mechanically disengage theobstruction. The bristles may include a central channel for conductingcleaning fluid from the fluid plenum to the tip of the bristleincreasing fluid flow into and obstructed suction tool to expediteclearing the obstruction. The cleaning plate may also be perforated toincrease fluid flow around the tip of an obstructed suction tool when itis engaging the bristles.

The devices and methods described below provide for a cleaning apparatusto be provided for every procedure requiring suction to enable a surgeonto quickly clear an obstructed suction tool without surrendering thesuction tool. A suction cleaning cup is an open top vessel containingclean saline or other suitable cleaning liquid. The cleaning cupincludes generally planar cleaning plate that is spaced above the floorof the cup to create a fluid filled plenum between the cleaning plateand the floor of the cleaning cup. The cleaning plate is perforated topermit fluid flow from the plenum through the cleaning plate into asuction tool to prevent loss of suction while clearing an obstruction ofthe suction tool bore. The upper surface of the cleaning plate includesone or more areas with arrays of tapered cleaning bristles sized toextend inside the suction tool bore to mechanically clear the suctiontool bore.

The tapered bristles are configured with a central channel to conducefluid from the fluid plenum to the tip of the bristle. The taperedbristles also include longitudinal flutes which improve fluid flowbetween generally parallel vertex ridges. The improved fluid flowthrough the flutes helps clear obstructed suction tools.

The bristles may be arranged by height on the cleaning plate to formareas that will be readily identifiable to a medical professionalseeking to clear an obstructed suction tool. For example, on a roundcleaning plate the bristles may be arranged in concentric circlesforming a bulls eye pattern enabling a user to readily identify suitableareas for clearing an obstructed suction tool.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a suction cleaner cup.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the cleaner cup of FIG. 1 taken alongA-A.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the cleaner cup of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-section view of the area of the cleaner cupof FIG. 2 taken along B-B.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a cleaner bristle engaging a suction tip.

FIG. 6 is a cross section view of a cleaner bristle.

FIG. 7 is a cross section view of an alternate cleaner bristle.

FIG. 8 is a cross section view of another alternate cleaner bristle.

FIG. 9 is a cross section view of another alternate cleaner bristle.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an alternate cleaning cup with analternate cleaning plate.

FIG. 11 is a cross-section of the cleaning cup and cleaning plate ofFIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a cleaning cup with a set of cleaningcylinders.

FIG. 13 is a cross-section view of the cleaning cup of FIG. 12 takenalong D-E.

FIG. 14 is a cross-section of a first cleaning bristle and cylinder ofthe cleaning cup of FIG. 12 taken along E-E.

FIG. 15 is a cross-section of a second cleaning bristle and cylinder ofthe cleaning cup of FIG. 12 taken along F-F.

FIG. 16 is a cross-section of a third cleaning bristle and cylinder ofthe cleaning cup of FIG. 12 taken along G-G.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONS

Suction cleaning cup 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. Side wall such as wall12 along with floor 13 define cleaning fluid volume 14. Cleaning cupssuch as cleaning cup 10 may adopt any suitable shape such as conical orfrusto-conical to optimize the ratio of material to form the cup versuscleaning fluid volume. Cleaning plate 16 is located within cleaningfluid volume 14 and is oriented to form plenum 17 between cleaning plate16 and cleaning cup floor 13.

Referring now to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, cleaning plate 16 may be solid orperforated to permit fluid flow through the cleaning plate to preventloss of suction and maintain fluid flow as a suction tool tip approachesthe cleaning plate or engages the suction plate during cleaning. Plenum17 is formed when cleaning plate 16 is maintained a suitable distancefrom floor 13 by one or more support legs such as support legs 18 andincludes a suitable number of openings or perforations such as holes 19.A suitable number of tapered bristles such as bristles 20 are arrangedin any suitable arrangement on upper surface 16T. Tapered cleaningbristles may have any suitable length and may be arranged according tolength as shown or in any other suitable arrangement. In the illustratedbristle arrangement, bristles 20 are grouped and arranged according tolength in a concentric arrangement similar to a target or bullseye. Theshortest bristles are located in central portion 21. Intermediate lengthbristles are grouped and arranged in concentric portions surroundingcentral portion 21 such as first concentric portion 22, secondconcentric portion 23 and third concentric portion 24. The longestbristles are located in outer portion 25.

Tapered cleaning bristles 20 may be solid such as bristles 20A, or theymay have a central tube, channel or lumen extending through cleaningplate 16 such as channel 26 of hollow bristle 20X. A cleaning plate mayhave a combination of solid and hollow cleaning bristles. Bristles 20may have any suitable cross sectional shape from circular to polygonal.Bristles 20 may be formed together with cleaning plate 16 or they may beformed separately and joined together using any suitable technique.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 7. In use, suction cleaning cup 10 isprovided in surgery with a volume of cleaning liquid in cleaning fluidvolume 14. When a surgical suction tube becomes clogged during surgery,a surgeon or other user may push the distal end 30D of clogged surgicalsuction tube 30 into cleaning fluid volume 14 and against one or morebristles such as bristle 32 formed or mounted on cleaning plate 33. Aportion of a bristle such as proximal portion 34 of bristle 32 willenter suction tube 30. If the material that was clogging suction tube 30is mechanically engaged, the clog will be cleared. Cleaning fluid 36 isalso be drawn up into suction tube 30 through cleaning plate 33, throughthe cleaning flutes of the bristle such as cleaning flutes 37, andthrough channel 39.

Referring now to FIG. 6, bristle 40 is shown in cross section. Bristle40 has three sides separated by vertices or ridges and includes centralchannel 42. Bristles may have any suitable number of vertices. Bristle40 has three vertices, vertex 40A, 40B and 40C and bristle 32 of FIG. 7has four vertices, vertices 32A, 32B, 32C and 32D. An imaginary straightline drawn between adjacent vertices such as line 44 emphasizes flutescreated in one or more sides of a bristle such as flute 45 and flutes 37to increase fluid flow along a bristle engaged in a suction tube.

Referring now to FIG. 8, five vertex bristle 50 is shown with centralchannel 51 and five flutes such as flute 52.

Referring now to FIG. 9, six vertex bristle 60 is shown with centralchannel 61 and six flutes such as flute 62. Bristles may have anysuitable number of vertices and may or may not be fluted.

Referring now to FIGS. 10 and 11, suction cleaning system 70 includescleaning cup 71 and cleaning plate 72. Cleaning cup 71 includes lockingring 74 which may be a ridge, bump or other suitably sized and shapedprotrusion extending from inner surface 71 into cleaning fluid volume 75to secure cleaning plate 72 in cup 71.

As discussed above, cleaning plate 72 includes a plurality of cleaningbristles such as bristles 76 and one or more openings such as fluidpassages 77 for conducting any suitable cleaning fluid from plenum 78through the cleaning plate. Cleaning plate 72 also includes one or morecleaning cylinders such as cleaning cylinder 80. The cleaning cylindersmay adopt any suitable length to accommodate a suitable cleaning bristlesuch as bristle 81. Upper portion 82 of each cleaning cylinder may havea generally conical or funnel shape, forming guide section 83 to directdistal end 30D of a suction tube into alignment with bristle 81.Bristles such as bristle 81 may adopt any suitable cross-section and mayinclude a fluid passage such as discussed above. With cleaning cylindersto control and direct a suction tube into alignment with a singlebristle, bristles such as bristle 81 may be significantly longer thanbristles 76. Each cleaning cylinder may also include a fluid passagesuch as passage 77 to conduct cleaning fluid into bore 80B of thecleaning cylinder.

Cleaning cylinders such as cleaning cylinder 80 may be formed togetherwith cleaning plate 72 or they may be formed separately and securedtogether using any suitable technique.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 and 13, suction cleaner cup 90 encloses acleaning fluid volume that includes reservoir volume 91 and one or morecleaning cylinders such as cleaning cylinders 92, 93 and 94 in fluidcommunication with the reservoir volume. Each cleaning cylinder includesa tapered guide section such as guide section 92G and a generallycylindrical bristle section such as bristle section 92B. Each cleaningcylinder has a long axis 95 coaxial with the bore of the tapered guidesection and the bristle section and the enclosed cleaning bristle suchas bristles 96, 97 and 98. The dimensions of each guide section, bristlesection and cleaning bristle are coordinated to accommodate a suctioncleaning tube having a given size and dimension. In the illustratedexample, cleaning cylinder 92 is sized for a 3 french suction tube,cleaning cylinder 93 is sized for a 5 french suction tube and cleaningcylinder 94 is sized for a 7 french suction tube.

Referring now to FIGS. 14, 15 and 16, each suction tube includes a ridgeor stop such as ridge 96S near bottom end such as bottom 92B. Each ridgeprevents an inserted suction tube from contacting the bottom andpreventing inflow of cleaning fluid to help clear the obstruction. Aridge or stop such as ridge 96S engages a portion of an insertedcleaning tube and the remainder of the inserted cleaning tube is open tothe cleaning fluid. Cleaning cylinder 93 includes ridge 97S near bottomend 93B. Cleaning cylinder 94 includes ridge 98S near bottom end 94B. Asdiscussed above, each cleaning bristle may include one or more verticessuch as vertices 99 to create one or more cleaning flutes such ascleaning flute 98F.

While the preferred embodiments of the devices and methods have beendescribed in reference to the environment in which they were developed,they are merely illustrative of the principles of the inventions. Theelements of the various embodiments may be incorporated into each of theother species to obtain the benefits of those elements in combinationwith such other species, and the various beneficial features may beemployed in embodiments alone or in combination with each other. Otherembodiments and configurations may be devised without departing from thespirit of the inventions and the scope of the appended claims.

1. A suction cleaning apparatus comprising: a suction tip cleaning cup enclosing a cleaning fluid volume; a plurality of cleaning cylinders in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid volume, each cleaning cylinder including a guide section and a bristle section, the bristle section having a floor; and a tapered bristle coaxially oriented in the bristle section of each cleaning cylinder, the bristle attached to a ridge formed on the floor of each bristle section.
 2. The suction cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more of the tapered bristles has a cross section with three or more vertices.
 3. The suction cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein one or more of the tapered bristles has a cross section with three or more vertices defining a side between each pair of adjacent vertices, and the side between each vertex is fluted.
 4. The suction cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a fluid passage through the floor of one or more bristle sections, the fluid passage in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid volume.
 5. A suction cleaning apparatus comprising: a fluid container with a contiguous sidewall and floor enclosing a cleaning fluid volume; one or more cleaning cylinders within the cleaning fluid volume, each cleaning cylinder including a guide section and a bristle section, the bristle section having a floor; and a tapered bristle coaxially oriented in the bristle section of each cleaning cylinder, the bristle supported by a ridge formed on the floor of each bristle section.
 6. The suction cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein one or more of the tapered bristles has a cross section with three or more vertices.
 7. The suction cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein one or more of the tapered bristles has a cross section with three or more vertices defining a side between each pair of adjacent vertices, and the side between each vertex is fluted.
 8. The suction cleaning apparatus of claim 5 further comprising: a fluid passage through the floor of one or more bristle sections, the fluid passage in fluid communication with the cleaning fluid volume. 